What causes "could not remove eventlog configuration - %w" in hashicorp/nomad?

Run the uninstall from an elevated Administrator prompt

could not remove eventlog configuration - %w

Error message

could not remove eventlog configuration - %w

What it means

performUninstall wraps the error from srvc.DisableEventlog(), which removes the Nomad service's event-log registration so stale entries do not remain after deletion. Failure means the event-log registry configuration could not be updated, though the service itself has already been stopped.

Source

Thrown at command/windows_service_uninstall.go:112

	if !exists {
		return nil
	}

	// Grab the service and ensure the service is stopped
	srvc, err := m.GetService(winsvc.WINDOWS_SERVICE_NAME)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("could not get existing service - %w", err)
	}
	defer srvc.Close()

	if err := srvc.Stop(); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("unable to stop service - %w", err)
	}

	// Remove the service from the event log
	if err := srvc.DisableEventlog(); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("could not remove eventlog configuration - %w", err)
	}

	// Finally, delete the service
	if err := srvc.Delete(); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("could not delete service - %w", err)
	}

	return nil
}

View on GitHub (pinned to 482b49bf1a)

Solutions

Run the uninstall from an elevated Administrator prompt
Check the wrapped error for a registry access-denied code and inspect the EventLog key ACLs
Delete the eventlog registry key manually (reg delete) and re-run uninstall
Restart the Windows Event Log service if it holds the key

Example fix

// manual cleanup alternative
reg delete HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\Application\nomad /f

Defensive patterns

Strategy: fallback

Try / catch

if err := uninstallCmd.Run(); err != nil {
    if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "eventlog configuration") {
        // fall back to manual registry cleanup:
        exec.Command("reg", "delete", `HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\Application\nomad`, "/f")
    }
}

Prevention

Run uninstalls elevated so registry EventLog keys are writable
Check ACLs on HKLM\...\EventLog keys in locked-down environments
Avoid monitoring software that holds eventlog registry keys open

When it happens

Trigger: DisableEventlog fails because the HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\...\EventLog registry key is locked or access is denied, or the process is not elevated while performUninstall cleans up the eventlog entry.

Common situations: Registry ACLs restrict the uninstaller's account; eventlog key held by Event Log service or monitoring software; non-admin run.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of hashicorp/nomad@482b49bf1a (2026-09-04). Data as JSON: /api/errors/8cbbc286f82c0ebf. Report an issue: GitHub.